Containment, curiosity and consultation: an exploration of theory and process in individual systemic psychotherapy with an adult survivor of trauma

Abstract

This paper describes an individual therapy from the author's private practice. On referral, the client came to therapy requesting help with her 8‐year‐old daughter. Within the assessment, a single episode of trauma was revealed. Further therapeutic conversations told of multiple memories of trauma. The main therapeutic work has now ended, the contract being left that the client can continue to request appointments if she wishes. I show how systemic therapy from Post Milan and Narrative models, including practices from other orientations, has been useful and name three key practices as being crucial to the work, containment, curiosity and consultation. I suggest parallel processes operating between myself and my client as well as between the therapy and consultation. Distinct phases in the therapy recovery are identified. The discussion will consider themes of containment, curiosity and consultation.

Mechanisms linking intimate partner violence and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV: A qualitative study in South Africa

“…All qualitative researchers were intensively trained. A 30-hour technical training alongside weekly mentorship and debriefing by senior team members ensured all researchers had the knowledge and skills required to skillfully handle disclosure of violence (Reynolds, 2007).…”

Systemic psychotherapy as an intervention for post‐traumatic stress responses: an introduction, theoretical rationale and overview of developments in an emerging field of interest

“…An article in 1996 focused on using writing as a way of addressing issues in families of holocaust survivors (Lange, ). There then was a 10‐year gap before two further articles were published, the first describing the treatment of traumatized individuals from an attachment perspective (Zulueta, ) and the second describing the use of an integrated model (Reynolds, ).…”

Creating space for preferred identities: narrative practice conversations about gender and culture in the context of trauma

“…Michael White wrote a review of working with multiple trauma which provides this context (White, 2004) and illustrations of this work have been gathered together in an edited book on narrative responses to trauma (Denborough, 2006). I do not attempt to provide a comparative review of narrative approaches with the many approaches to trauma according to different traditions, such as cognitive behavioural therapies (Follette et al, 1998;Grey et al, 2002), testimony approaches (Agger and Buus Jensen, 1990;Cienfuegos and Monelli, 1983), narrative exposure therapy (Neuner et al, 2004), attachment approaches (Zulueta, 2006) or systemic psychotherapy approaches (Reynolds, 2007). Nor does this paper compare approaches to working with multiple trauma or forced migration (Herman, 1992;Van der Veer, 1998).…”